-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In news that likely did n't surprise anyone , AMC announced Tuesday that `` The Walking Dead '' was renewed for a fifth season . Airing Sunday nights , the zombie apocalypse show picked up 20.2 million viewers for its Season Four premiere , a number that breaks records for nonsports telecasts on cable .

Situated right in the middle of this pop culture hoard of zombies is Greg Nicotero , a makeup effects guru . He 's a director and executive producer on the show .

In 1988 , Nicotero co-founded KNB EFX group , a popular effects studio for film and TV , and went on to establish a reputation in Hollywood .

Long before he joined Robert Kirkman , `` Walking Dead '' comic book creator , and Frank Darabont , show creator , Nicotero launched his career as a student of zombie icons George A. Romero and Tom Savini .

Nicotero , who still runs KNB , has now become involved in the theme park business by acting as a consultant for Universal Studios Orlando 's `` Walking Dead '' attraction at their Halloween Horror Nights event . -LRB- It 's also represented in part at Universal Hollywood .

Zombie 101 with Greg Nicotero

Shortly before the news about Season Five was official , Greg Nicotero spoke to CNN via phone to discuss his outlook on the future of `` The Walking Dead , '' the theme park attraction and the hidden tributes he sneaks into episodes he directs :

CNN : Having spoken with you before , you strike me as someone always striving to learn new techniques . What do you find yourself looking at for the show 's future ?

Greg Nicotero : I appreciate you saying that because every season when I watch the show , I 'm constantly looking at what I feel people responded to and what people like , and what I thought was successful or could be refined .

A show like `` The Walking Dead '' gives us that opportunity to refine the look of the Walkers and the performances . We have the opportunity to play with the concepts , the designs , the sculptures . Every year we 're able to do that and it 's exciting .

CNN : What are some new things you 've learned to bring into `` The Walking Dead '' moving forward ?

Nicotero : When you make something for a movie , when it 's done filming , you remove the prosthetics and throw it away . For these guys -LRB- at Universal Orlando -RSB- , they build it for a completely different mindset . There have been things they 've done that I 've been like , : Wow , that 's really smart , I wish I 'd thought of that . ''

For example , they will put magnets inside the teeth and magnets inside the prosthetics . So the teeth do n't clip onto the actor 's teeth but the teeth attach inside the prosthetic , so you do n't have to put custom dentures into every single performer . That 's a really neat idea because , for background stuff , you do n't need to worry about putting teeth into all of them . I think that works really well .

Photos : Key characters killed on ` The Walking Dead '

CNN : As the show progresses each season , and becomes increasingly successful , is there pressure because people expect more from the show , and because it receives additional attention ?

Nicotero : I think we put the pressure on ourselves to raise the bar .

Andy Lincoln and I have had many conversations about that -- about our commitment to the show , our passion and our commitment to the fans . I am really proud of Season Four and where the show is going . The fact that viewers have responded very positively is rewarding because we fought very hard to make sure the show continues every season to raise the bar . We 're all creative , passionate people -- every single crew member and actor on the show wants it to be better .

Our show runner , Scott Gimple , is a fan first and a great writer second , so I feel like we all challenge each other . I do n't know if `` pressure '' is the right word , but we feel an obligation to continue to make the show great .

CNN : When Universal first approached you about bringing `` The Walking Dead '' to a theme park , was there any hesitation ?

Nicotero : No , as a matter of fact , it was quite the opposite . The show has been able to attract quite a significant fan base , and what interested me in this collaboration was giving fans a little more of an interactive experience . What Universal Orlando has been able to do is put fans directly in the middle of the experience .

You get to walk through the hallways of the prison , see Hershel 's barn , all these really exciting moments . It 's like the greatest hits of the show . Being able to do this is an exciting endeavor .

CNN : Was there a concern about quality control since the Walkers in the park are based on your design , but you 're not there to manage it ?

Nicotero : I 'm not there on a day-to-day basis , but I have interacted and consulted with Mike Aiello and his creative team in regards to all of the sculptures . I provided them with photos of a lot of sculptures we did at KNB EFX . They replicated a lot of the stuff we did . In a few instances , like with Michonne 's pets , I sent them actual prosthetic pieces used on the show so their sculptors could duplicate , as close as possible , the work we did on the show . I really was involved in that capacity .

CNN : What do you think the appeal is of theme park guests walking through `` The Walking Dead '' ?

NIcotero : I am a movie fan . I 've flown to Martha 's Vineyard to see where they shot `` Jaws . '' I have been to the Monroeville Mall to see where they shot `` Dawn of the Dead , '' been to the steps in `` The Exorcist '' where Father Karras falls down the steps . I have been that guy who has been to those locations because it connects me to the material I love so much .

That 's what everybody does when they go to Universal . They 're going to connect themselves to the experience , and they now know what it 's like to be on the set of `` The Walking Dead . '' Fans will seek out those experiences .

CNN : Has the success of `` The Walking Dead '' added to the awareness of George Romero 's work , or do you feel like you need to encourage people to look back to `` Night of the Living Dead '' and his other films ?

Nicotero : That 's a great question , and I 'm very glad you asked that .

I saw George about two weeks ago in Los Angeles . There was a 30th anniversary screening of `` Day of the Dead , '' and I went and had n't seen George in about two years . The guy , in my opinion , is a genius .

He was the guy that got me into the business . `` Dawn of the Dead '' and `` Jaws '' teeter back-and-forth as the number one movie that I loved , and which influenced me . Before 1968 -LRB- when `` Night of the Living Dead '' came out -RRB- , zombies were strictly referred to as a voodoo character , not even an undead but under a spell . He created a new creature ; they came back from the dead , eat the flesh of the living and you shoot them in the head to kill them .

As far as I 'm concerned , `` The Walking Dead '' would n't exist without George Romero . ... Robert Kirkman 's comic book is really a love letter to George Romero . His movies were so groundbreaking that they influenced guys like me and Robert Kirkman and Darabont . When I saw him two weeks ago , I was still geeking out .

CNN : Now you 're serving as a frequent director on `` The Walking Dead , '' so how does that make you think differently about your past effects work ?

Nicotero : I think about things differently because I did come up in the ranks of the makeup effects world . When I get to direct episodes now , what 's fun is I throw little tributes in there .

We did a cameo of the airport zombie from `` Dawn of the Dead '' with the plaid shirt in Episode 15 last year . I get to put those little in-jokes in . I love doing that . I 'm directing Episode 15 , and I 'm popping in a few tributes .

The thing I love the most is I 've been doing this 30 years , and every day I come to work and still learn more . It really is the ultimate position , creatively , for me .

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Special effects master Greg Nicotero previews `` The Walking Dead '' theme park attraction

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He sneaks hidden tributes into `` Waking Dead '' episodes he directs

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`` The Walking Dead '' just got renewed for a fifth season